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Bile is made from bile salts, bilirubin, phospholipids, cholesterol, bicarbonate and water. The bile salts help break down fat for digestion. Dietary problems, specifically a diet high in fat and refined food and low in fiber, especially the water soluble fibers found in vegetables and fruits, pectin, oat bran, and guar gum, is the primary cause of gall stones. The gall bladder, along with the pancreas (T7), releases bicarbonate and water to neutralize acid from the stomach (T6) as it enters the duodenum (T7). Proper function of the gall bladder and pancreas is necessary to prevent duodenal ulcers. An unhealthy gall bladder can occur from a diet too rich in saturated fats. The demographics of gall bladder disease has followed exactly the introduction of western eating habits. If gall stones are causing very severe pain, which they can, they may be dissolved by ultrasound treatment or chemical injection or the entire gall bladder may have to be removed. If a stone lodges in the common bile duct it can cause digestive enzymes to back up into the pancreas which leads to pancreatitis. The pancreas can literally digest itself in its own secretions. In this case immediate surgery is imperative. Also, if the stones become great enough to impair blood circulation to the gall bladder it becomes predisposed to infection with bacteria, a condition called cholecystitis. This is also a surgical condition. When the gall bladder has been removed the bile has no place to collect between meals. This impairs the digestion of fat and fat soluble nutrients such as essential fatty acids and vitamins A, D, E and K which may lead to other problems. Also, the continual trickle of bile directly into the small intestine in someone who has had their gall bladder removed may cause irritation of the intestinal tract. Some indications are that gall bladder removal may result in a somewhat increased risk for colon cancer. If you have had your gall bladder removed you should eat frequent small meals and avoid going for long periods without eating. The nerve supply to the gall bladder comes from the region of the fourth thoracic vertebra, right between your shoulder blades. In fact, chronic pain right between the shoulder blades can be a symptom of a gall bladder problem. Nutritional Therapy GALL STONES: Along with proper dietary guidelines, one of the simplest and most effective procedures is to take 2 to 6 tablets of A-F Betafood at the end of each meal. This fantastic nutritional supplement is made from dried beet leaf juice, beet and carrot powders, alfalfa meal, defatted wheat germ, some glandular extracts, etc., and it is a great gallbladder and liver decongestant, bile thinner and bile mover, fat metabolizer, antibiotic, and is also helpful in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and elevated cholesterol (although I believe that too much is made of this “problem”). Even in acute gallbladder attacks, taking 15 A-F Betafood tablets a day for up to 3 weeks can clear the problem. IMPORTANT: There are many tales of gall bladder flushing using various combinations of olive oil or castor oil, lemon, etc. and the large green stones that come out after. What they think are gall stones are actually complexes of minerals and oil that have formed in the intestinal tract. Consuming a large amount of oil is not a good idea. It can cause violent contractions of the gall bladder and can force a stone to become lodged in the bile duct. This would precipitate a medical emergency. Our advise: don't do it. Emotional |
